The European Union (EU) has transferred 3.2 billion euros as the first tranche of a 90 billion euro loan support program for Ukraine. The transfer was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk, Poland.
Von der Leyen recalled that since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, the EU and its member states have provided over 200 billion euros in economic and military aid to Kyiv. Stating that the first part of the 90 billion euro loan package covering the 2026-2027 period has been sent, von der Leyen said, "With Europe's support, Ukraine's defense industry shows it can outpace Russia in innovation. Ukraine is currently producing drones on a scale equal to or exceeding Russia's production capacity."
Describing the opening of the first cluster of chapters in Ukraine's EU accession negotiations as a "historic moment," von der Leyen highlighted Kyiv's progress in integrating into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and the EU Single Market.
Von der Leyen also stated that the European Ukraine Fund, established at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome in 2025, is ready to become operational. Noting that the fund, formed with the participation of the EU, Poland, France, Germany, and Italy, will invest in the most strategic sectors for Ukraine's future, such as clean energy and infrastructure, von der Leyen said, "This year, the fund can mobilize up to 500 million euros, and in the future, it aims to reach a volume of 1 billion euros."
European Council President António Costa emphasized that Russia has not achieved its goals in Ukraine and that Kyiv has shown it is ready for diplomatic efforts for an immediate ceasefire and a just, lasting peace. Stating that the EU's sanctions against Russia aim to bring Moscow to "good-faith negotiations," Costa said, "The EU is ready to contribute to this process, but Ukraine will determine the conditions for a comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace. No one can speak on behalf of Ukraine. Only Ukrainians can speak on behalf of the Ukrainian people."
